About mercury: (since I also suffer from high level of mercury in blood)

Mercury binds easily to fatty tissue especially in the kidneys, liver, and brain.

One of the best detoxifying agents to prevent mercury build-up is the mineral selenium.

A deficiency of trace minerals can readily allow mercury to accumulate in and contaminate cells by inhibiting their natural energy producing abilities, blocking enzymatic activity and shutting down antioxidant systems.

About selenoprotein enzymes:

selenoprotein enzymes are generated by the body by incorporating the trace mineral selenium into proteins. These enzymes function like antioxidants, destroying free radicals thus limiting oxidative damage. They also stimulate thyroid function and optimize the immune system.

When mercury binds to selenium, the production of selenoproteins is reduced. This promotes immune dysfunction and abnormal thyroid function.

About selenium:

selenium is a “mercury magnet”

When mercury and selenium bind, this new compound cannot be absorbed by the body so it is removed as waste.

We must include a surplus of selenium in our body to reduce mercury levels.

Mercury contamination might require you to increase selenium consumption up to 1000 mcg each day. It is recommended that one consume between 200-400 micrograms of selenium daily. Although too much selenium is toxic.

Brazil nuts are the best food source of selenium with around 50-75 mcg selenium per nut. A small handful (max 6 nuts) will supplement the selenium you need for the entire day. Other excellent sources include pasture-raised eggs, mushrooms, shellfish, meat (including organ meats), as well as seeds.

And the most alarming, to me,

Selenium Deficiency Linked to Thyroid Cancer

Specifically, low selenium levels are associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer.

This is due to the crucial role it plays on protecting the thyroid gland from damage.

The incorporation of selenium into selenoproteins is essential for optimal thyroid health and for the protective effects of these antioxidant systems throughout the entire body.

Now it kind of explains most of the thing, if not everything for my case.

Would like to highlight how mercury affects our thyroid. Two months ago, when my blood test report was out, as expected by my nutritionist, it showed excessive mercury and aluminium in my blood test and we are suspecting they are the culprit of some autoimmune disorder I am experiencing.

Normal whole blood mercury is usually <5 ng/mL and though scientists do not know precisely what level of mercury in blood may be associated with harmful effects, some studies suggest that mercury levels as low as 30 to 40 ng/ml may be associated with visual, nervous, or cardiovascular system effects in adults. Blood mercury levels above 100 ng/mL have been reported to be associated with clear signs of mercury poisoning in some individuals (e.g., poor muscle coordination, tingling and numbness in fingers and toes). As for aluminium, about 10 mcg/L is fairly normal, and above 50 mcg/L is generally now considered a toxic level.

Here is the explanation on how mercury interferes with our thyroid which I like a lot:

“I’m sure you’re well aware that mercury is a toxic chemical that is not healthy for your body, but did you know that it is particularly dangerous for the thyroid? … In fact, your thyroid is exceptionally good at absorbing any available iodine in your body. Unfortunately for your thyroid, mercury and iodine are chemically very similar to each other, so your thyroid is quick to absorb and store mercury too.

This creates a two-fold problem for your thyroid. First, if your thyroid is storing mercury in place of iodine, it won’t have enough iodine to produce adequate levels of T4 and T3 hormones, which can cause you to develop hypothyroidism. Second, it puts you at risk of developing an autoimmune disease. No one knows exactly how heavy metals like mercury lead to autoimmune disease, but research has shown a demonstrated link between the two, including a 2011 study that found that women with high mercury exposure were more than twice as likely to have thyroid antibodies.

One proposed reason for why this happens is that mercury damages the cells of your thyroid gland (as well as other cells in your body) so much that your immune system can no longer recognize these thyroid cells as “self” cells. Another prevailing theory is that your immune system goes on high alert to get rid of the mercury, and this chronic state of inflammation stresses your immune system so much that it starts attacking your whole thyroid.”

Generally everyone experienced time where things that didn’t go their ways, caught in difficulties.

At this time, some might feel defeated, and even choose to run away. But how to face such distress and slowly climb up out of it ? Where does the driving force come from?

When Helen Keller was one year old, she contracted an illness, which caused her to lose her ability to see and hear. She went through the bitterness of being blind, deaf and dumb. But later, with lots of love and continuous efforts put in by her instructor Anne Sullivan and headmaster from the School for Deaf, she miraculously recover the ability to speak.

But the training was very rigorous, there was time Helen Keller encountered great frustration. When things became more and more difficult for her, she reminded herself of her family’s happy looks, and told herself:

“I must overcome all the difficulty to learn to speak!”

She also said, “I met a lot of obstacles , but in my heart, there is a powerful force that drove me to try to overcome and defeat it.” Her indomitable spirit made her overcame all obstacles.

So do not give up easily, if you give up, you won’t be able to break down the barrier. We must have hope, thinking of the joy when our wishes come true, march on.

Sharing this in case it helps other who might need to go through the same as me.

This round, I am taking the highest dose 250mci RAI (compared to 180 last time).

The liquid is served in a small tube (not even a half cup, very little). I sipped it hard and fast via straw. Same thing, the doctor poured in some water for me to drink and gurgle.

And on the 4th day, my radiation reading dropped below 5 (that is the benchmark, mine is only left 2) where I was released from quarantine.

Anything different compared to last time?

mm..

– My tongue (especially the middle part) was very very very dry. A total lost of taste (especially for salty taste). Quite disturbing. Need to drink water frequently. Even middle of the night, woke up a few times as the dryness was unbearable. But I can feel it’s improving everyday. So I will take it as short term side-effect.

– Dry and peeling-off lips.

– Coldness especially hands and feet. This is the most unbearable for me. No matter how thick the blanket is, you can feel the chill from inside. I couldn’t sleep well. May be it’s also because I was still off-thyroxine then. The metabolism rate was slow (just my guess).

– Luckily I think my saliva gland is not damaged, at least not all, as I still have saliva now. I was more diligent in doing the facial exercise the doctor taught to help protect the saliva gland this time. (Again, NOTE: DO NOT SUCK SWEETS !)

– Nausea and feeling hard to digest. Doctor prescribed some medication to help on the nausea part. And before every meal, they gave some anti gastric medication. I could still feel the nausea-ness (but not as strong) after a week. I didn’t take any medication after discharge though. So the first few days after discharge were the most uncomfortable days.

– Constipation. I don’t have this problem at all before this. But not sure is it because of the RAI or no thyroxine, I need to take medication to help passing motion. But as doctor said, after discharge, by eating fruits, and taking back thyroxine, the constipation is gone now for good 🙂

– For the whole stay in hospital, I was served with low-residue low-iodine food. So a lot of porridge and meehoon soup instead. Not like last time, I was served low-iodine diet, with rice.

– More pain in my shoulder. I take it as good sign that the tumour is reacting with the iodine.

– Early menstrual/period. Another strange thing. My period comes early this round. Hopefully, it is not something bad. I take it as good to detox earlier. But a friend who did the same procedure got early menopause after the treatment. Not sure I will be the same or not. But, guess it’s still not too bad.

I think that is all. Also, different people might have different reaction. The above is just a sharing of what I have experienced. Not advice from medical perspective as I am not a doctor.

Again, very important: DRINK A LOT OF WATER; NOT DRINK AT ONE TIME, BUT SUFFICIENT AMOUNT FREQUENTLY.

Was consulting a thyroid cancer survivor, in preparation for my next treatment. She mentioned something that ring my mind, “For a period time I avoid iodine rich food, to avoid feeding pseudo thyroid remnant ca cells.“

Oh dear oh dear, when I google to find those so call Iodine rich food, alamak… I took a lot, especially seaweed, people say good.

The ocean hosts the largest storehouse of iodine foods, including Kelp, Arame, Hiziki, Kombu, and Wakame. Kelp has the highest amount of iodine of any food on the planet and just one serving offers 4 times the daily minimum requirement.

2. Cranberries

3. Yogurt

4. Beans especially Navy Beans

Many beans are a great food source of iodine and navy beans may top the list.

5. Strawberries

6. Himalayan Crystal Salt

7. Potatoes

The common potato is an easy addition to most meals and is one of the richest sources of iodine in the vegetable kingdom.

When we came back from the hospital, after a long wait, Ling and Ying handed each of us a small note on top of a big big hug.

To Mummy & Daddy:

To Dadday:

Don’t worry dear, Mummy is going to be ok.

Just sometimes a bit frust, have to juggle with so many things alone: planning & budgeting, contacting insurance company, make arrangement for times when I will be away; and Hubby is not very helpful, except being the driver and accompanying me to hospital.

Ya, I shouldn’t complain so much. He is considered good already. Some even dump the wife after the wife is ill. 看开点！

Last week, went for the follow up check up for my Thyroid cancer. After the curettage surgery to remove the tumour in my left scapular, the blood test shows my Thyroglubulin has dropped till 196. When I was first diagnosed and before any surgery, the reading was over 3000. For normal people, the reading should be between 2 to 70. And for my case, after my Thyroid gland removal, Dr Dharmendra is expecting to see a reading of 0, to determine I am cancer-free.

Sigh, this mean another round of Radioactive Iodine (RAI) intake is needed. This time, Dr Dharmendra is recommending 250mci, the highest dose a person can take.

Now, what make me worried is the risk of getting leukemia is higher. The benchmark is 600mci RAI in total , the sum of all intakes. Ya, last time 180mci, now 250mci, just 430mci only. May be I shouldn’t be too over-kancheong.

Pray hard things will be alright after that, and no more RAI.

p.s. It’s good to do blood test to check your Thyroglubulin, so can detect any thyroid related disease earlier.